There are many different types of cable closures, most of which form a sealed environment by being sealed around the cable(s) which they enclose. Such seals are produced in a wide range of ways. One general way in which they are produced is to provide a cavity or chamber at an end (or, ordinarily, two ends) of the closure, through which cavity the cable(s) extend, and to provide sealing material in the cavity to form a seal around the cable(s). For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,796,823 discloses a cable splice case in the form of half-shells in which the end seals are formed by resilient grommets in compressive engagement with the case and the cable(s). The grommets slot between shoulders in the splice case, and there are strips of sealing tape for sealing along the length of the splice case between the half-shells.
International Patent Application No. PCT/GB94/02622 (publication no. WO 95/15600) discloses a device for forming a seal around an elongate object (e.g. a cable) comprising: (a) a sealing plate having a hole through which the object can pass, and containing a chamber in communication with the hole; (b) a pressure plate positioned within and movable relative to the chamber; and (c) a sealing material positioned within the chamber such that when the elongate object passes, in use, through the hole in the sealing plate, the sealing material is positioned between the pressure plate and the elongate object, wherein the pressure plate can be moved, in use, towards the object in a direction transversely of the object, to urge the sealing material into sealing contact with the object.
The device disclosed in PCT/GB94/02622 performs extremely well, but it would be desirable to have a cable closure which is sealed equally well but which would be cheaper to manufacture and simpler to install. A purpose of the present invention is to provide such a cable closure.